Before we dive into the nitty gritty, I must congratulate you on all your hard work thus far. It takes a lot of patience and mental capacity to handle working a job all while in university doing courses. It also takes a lot of planning because you could be working any type of hours or any type of job and we can all agree if it’s retail or talking to people, it can get exhausting. So, pat yourself on the back. I am proud of you! Now, hop in because we are going to discuss things you can do to help yourself get through this.
1. Create a schedule
I am sure you are all aware of creating a schedule since you must plan shifts around your classes. However, a good thing to add to your schedule is the time you have for assignments, being social and of course yourself. You are totally allowed to create time for just yourself, whether you like to make music or go to the gym like me or whether you like to sit down and watch your favourite Netflix show, it will be very helpful if you schedule time for yourself. Often, we try to have alone time and then something comes up, because hey, that is life, but if we try and schedule our own time, we can get a better understanding of if we have time to take an extra shift or help a friend out!
2. Write down the things you pay for
Now, if you are like me and must balance paying for everything with your paycheck, then a good suggestion is to write down everything you must pay for that month. You can do it on paper or write it on a google spreadsheet. You may think you do not need to do this but honestly, it will help you, since you can fill in how much you make, your expenses for that month and see where you have any room left for unnecessary items.
3. Be Positive
Now this one is easier said than done and I still struggle with it myself, but when you have a job and must budget, it is so easy to get down on yourself, especially when hearing about other people not having to deal with this. I know from experience that when I am home at my apartment and I hear my roommates talk about how they can buy this and that and all the amount of groceries they want, it gets a little upsetting that I cannot do the same but what I like to remember is that one day it will pay off. When you work while in school or even work to pay for your own things such as tuition and groceries, you learn how to manage your money better. You also learn the value of money and realize that sometimes you cannot always get what you want and sometimes you must earn things. Also, sometimes life has other plans and we just must roll right through it. As my brother always says, you must be positive, and that is true. Think about all the different things you are learning about different career options that you never knew before! Keep up the hard work and remember there is always light on the other side.
4. EAT DINNER
Now I know that if you are balancing a job, sometimes eating dinner or even eating lunch is a problem, as you are rushing out the door, trying to get more sleep and trying to get your classes done, but you need to stop and you need to eat. In order to complete all the stuff that you need to do in a day you need energy, so what I suggest is setting a reminder on your phone for dinner time, that way it is there and you will see it! Taking care of yourself is important!
5. It is okay
Lastly, understanding this will help! It is OKAY! It is okay if you take time for yourself. It is okay if you take off the shift because you are bombarded with the school. It is okay if you decide that you want to spend the night focusing on yourself after a hard shift at work and it is okay if you cannot stay out super late because you have a morning shift the next day. The point is that it is OKAY that you are working a job while being in school and no one should ever make you feel bad about it. It is okay to not be okay sometimes, to be a bit upset about the things you cannot do or buy. It is okay to feel your emotions too. However, you must realize that we are all given challenges in life and we are able to overcome them and we CAN overcome them no matter what. If anyone ever makes you feel bad about working a job while being in school, as we know that our marks slide just a bit, do not be near those people. I have had people in my life say I have an easy program and it should be easy to get high marks, however, my marks are not super high because I am working two jobs at once while being in school, which is something that is quite challenging. If people do not understand or are very in your face bragging that they get this, then honestly do yourself a favour and realize they are not worth being around. A nice and genuine person will never make you feel like you are at the bottom of the totem pole if you have a job and responsibilities.
I want you to understand that it is OKAY if you need to take time off work to be able to deal with school or even to be healthy whether that’s mentally, physically or even emotionally. It is okay and I want you to be proud of all you have done and remember you are never alone! Stay positive and stay healthy! You never know how strong you are until you look back at everything you have overcome, you are doing great and I wish the best for you!